Dear Owners: Please Sleep in Your Guest Rooms

I was going to post this in that thread of things sitters wished owners knew/would provide, but I’ve seen that it’s been closed due to off topic posts.

Anyway, I’m writing this to implore HOs to sleep a few days in their guest rooms before asking sitters to use these rooms. Is it too hot? Please supply a fan. Is it freezing cold? A heater would be great. Already have a fan or heater in the room? Test these out to make sure they work. Relying on a window for fresh air? Check to see how many mosquitos are coming in and provide a solution.

Check the dressers/closets. Are there enough hangers? Is there space in the drawers? A laundry basket for dirty stuff? A bin?

Sometimes it’s easy to look at a room and go, “Yup, the bed is made and it looks clean. All done.”
But if you haven’t actually experienced what it is like to use that room as your main sleeping space, there are some things that can go unnoticed and lead your sitter to have an uncomfortable experience.

I’m happy to use a guest room, but sometimes it can feel a bit disrespectful when you see the master bedroom with its amenities and air conditioner and you are sleeping on a saggy mattress in a windowless box in 30 degree heat.

That’s my two cents. Off to buy a fan so I can get a solid night’s sleep.

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Yes yes yes! It’s often the forgotten room, or an extra storage space. Dusty, or smelly from never getting aired. Or there’s so much stuff stuffed under the beds (I know, it can’t always be helped), I just pray there aren’t spiders living there too coming to look at their new roommate :grimacing: or the beds are atrociously old, or the bedding is scratchy. But anyways, I get what you mean. Often everything is fine. But now and then you hit that one, shivers!

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Is there a place to set and open a suitcase? Are there window coverings that provide a modicum of privacy (this goes for bathrooms too) and keep the light out?

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I just got to a sit today to find out the guest bedroom just has a old pull-out sofa bed, not an actual bed. And there is no closet in the room or anyplace for me to hang clothes. Lesson learned, if they say you are sleeping in the guest bedroom, ask if it has a bed. Glad this is only a six day sit since I won’t be getting much sleep and can’t unpack any clothes.

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One of the worst things for me is, when they have an old, used bed in the guestroom that they probably used themselves until it got so worn they had to buy themselves a new one. I have slept in beds where I almost needed a shovel to dig myself out of the hollow :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: It has also caused me to spend two days on my back after putting it out from sleeping in said hollow. Certainly had some nightmare beds and I think it is terrible that owners won’t use them but think it’s okay for someone else to.

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Maybe we are getting old and demanding but we are wondering about putting a “queen size” or larger requirement on our application. I hate to be picky but a married couple in a small uncomfortable bed with pets that want to sleep with you… means someone is not sleeping well.
Not having blinds / curtains is another pet peeve. Maybe some like to get up with the sunrise but more often these days it just isn’t that dark outside at night.
At the very least, please have a foto that says, “This is where the sitter sleeps”. I don’t want to drool over your unoffered master suite.

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Half the time I end up sleeping on the sofa or failing that, the floor. It can genuinely be more comfortable.

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I must have been very lucky in my 60 plus sits over the years as I can’t think of one bed or guest bedroom that was not comfortable and very inviting- flowers on the dressing table, bottle of water and glass supplied, shown where extra blankets, fans, extra toiletries are kept. Even a choice of rooms sometimes. Yes, the bed can be hit or miss but is that not personal preference? I like a hardish memory foam mattress. And the pillows and cushions are sometimes dubious but there is always a combination which is comfortable.
I think we must have been very lucky with our choices as we have never had to sleep on couches or the floor. Yes, there may be some rearrangements of things in the bedroom and bathroom but we have always managed to have a very comfortable stay and our hosts are always gracious when we request some hangers so we can hang up a few clothes on a door or curtain pole if there is no hanging space. There is no shame living out of a suitcase if all the drawers are full. We have found that hosts go to a a lot of trouble to make their home welcoming for us and we show our appreciation by looking after their pets well and respecting their home and property.
I actually find it harder to sleep in the main bedroom, surrounded by the personal items of the hosts. In the guest/spare bedroom at least you are not staring at their dressing gowns and slippers every morning!
As always, a quick video tour at the initial talk is always recommended and expectations spoken about. Research into expected weather is good as well.

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Hi @systaran and that is why we insist on seeing a picture of the bedroom (and bathroom) we will be using.
We also ask about the bed size if there is any doubt and also about storage. If there is no storage we have a portable garment rail we can take when arriving by car.
Many sitters on here don’t mind about being able to unpack, and indeed some prefer to live out of cases and bags but we all have different levels of comfort.
We now only do the occasional new sit and because we have a comfortable clean home base with great bed and shower (and are of a certain age) we don’t settle for less.
There is something for everyone out there - just make sure it is right for you. Even after asking all the right questions and seeing the photos sometimes things are not always as expected!

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Thanks everyone for your guest room feed back and first hand, or should we say, first back experiences.

Many of us have had “different’ guest room experiences even when staying at a friend or relative’s home, I know I have.

Sleep comfort is very personal and as a result subjective, mattresses, pillows, duvets, blankets, firm, soft, more soft (that’s me) etc., my comfort level is completely different to my husband’s and the only one that is ever truly right is our own.

I’m with @ElsieDownie … In all my years of sitting I have found pet parents/owners to be very conscious of their sitter-guests comfort and go to great lengths to make us welcome and comfortable. There have been occasions where, for my personal comfort, a little creative “housekeeping” may have been necessary :wink:

As @Twitcher says …. “

We will close this topic now. Thanks to everyone for contributing and for sharing experiences, perspectives and personal POV’s.